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~~~Robert Baratheon, Eighth Moon, 277 AC~~~
~~~Lannisport, Westerland~~~
"Hahahahaha, Ned, come here! You would have seen their bloody faces, the damned beast nearly crushed them if it wasn't for the Dothraki," I said to Ned the moment he entered the small inn inside the Rock.
The little inn was the only one in the whole fortress, and the ale was a bit of bitter, but it was all there was, and it was either that or go south to Lannisport, but with the hunt so close, I didn't want to miss anything.
"So early and already drinking?" Ned, as proper and neat as I remembered, lectured me as he saw the ale clutched in my hand, "Oh, come on, don't tell me anything now, indeed, enjoy." I said, offering him an unused tankard of beer.
"We must be sober for the trip the hunting week will be at Crakehall, there is a large forest near the seat of that house," Ned explained, without taking the tankard, "very well, more for me," I said, then taking his tankard and drinking its contents.
"They say the Xandarian king's dragon almost killed some Frey's," Ned spoke again moments later, making me remember the fact, "Oh yes! I was there when it happened the stupid Frey's wanted to see the dragon up close, although I think they wanted to steal something, you know what rats they are."
"The foolish Frey ignored the Dothraki's warnings, and in the middle of their camp, they wanted to get closer than allowed to the great beast, but well, it didn't go well. The beast went into a rage and attacked everyone in its path, nearly killing one of old Walder's many sons, had it not been for one of those women in black armor calming the dragon, the beast would have turned the weasel to mush."
"That's bad, why are you laughing?" Ned asked, and I could only laugh even harder, "and why wouldn't I? I hate the damned Freys, and for the beast to get rid of some of them would be doing the realm a service."
"I also heard that old Walder wanted to marry off one of his daughters to Azrael," I changed the subject, "that too I heard, as well as the fact that the Xandarian king immediately rejected the proposal because he is already betrothed."
"Oh yes, Valka, if I were engaged to a woman as beautiful as she is, I would also turn down anyone old Walder presented to me." He was very lucky, a woman as beautiful as Valka was hard to find, and one who had the balls to ride a beast like the one she rode to the rock on was much harder to find.
"We both know that's not true, even with a beauty of Lady Valka's caliber, you'll be with more women, your cock won't sit still, and your taste in sluts much less so." Sometimes I forgot the sincerity with which Ned could speak, it was that which pleased me about him, though it might kill him someday, sincerity and good works had no place in this world.
"Robert, Ned!" A shout made us look towards the entrance of the inn, where Jon Arryn, our foster father, was looking at us in frustration, "I've been looking for them for half an hour, the great lords are already gathering to start the march to Crakehall, and their fathers are furious not to see them on the spot."
This time it was Ned's turn to open his eyes, "oh yes! I'd forgotten I'd come for that," the idiot said, which gave me the impulse to smack him upside the head, "hurry up, we're already late."
Against my will, I stopped looking at the beer kegs that were calling me and got up from the bar, starting to walk in the company of Ned, and then the three of us walked to where everything was being organized.
After a few minutes, we arrived at the meadow where everything was being organized to start the trip, and I could see up close the beautiful Xandarian carriages, and they were a beauty.
With their ten huge tires, their novel and exotic design, and the two huge and ferocious beasts that pulled them, which I had learned were called Devastators, they gave a beautiful and proud sight, a sight that made a fool of the carriages of the nobles, and even those of the royal family.
But perhaps what attracted the most attention were the five huge cages loaded on carts pulled by more than ten strong horses, which were covered with black cloaks and did not let you see inside, but judging by the grunts, roars, and blows against the metal, the beasts inside must be lethal. And perhaps that was the method of salvation from having to surrender five swords of Valyrian Steel.
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~~~~Eddard Stark, Eighth Moon, 277 AC~~~
~~~Crakehall~~~
After three days of riding, the seat of Crakehall house could be seen on the horizon, and I could see that it was not large, at most a hundred people could stay in the fortress, and that was a very low number for the more than two thousand men who had come on the hunt.
And while for the Xandarians that would not be a problem because of their carriages, the others would have to sleep in tents. Which would certainly create problems.
"Are you going to participate in the hunt brother?" I asked Brandon, who rode beside me, since the news of the marriage agreement between Brandon and Cersei Lannister, things became more complicated.
Many lords were visiting my father because of a marriage between me and their daughters, or with my brother Benjen. And in my sister's case, as far as I knew, she was in the sights of Lord Steffon, Robert's father, for Robert to betroth her to unite the North with the Stormlands.
It was all alliances and agreements, and it amazed me what a single marriage could bring about in the grand scheme of things, but well, right before me was the evidence of that, since for Lord Tywin's marriage, even the royal family had decided to attend. And even the great lords were present.
"Of course I will, many knights and squires will participate, and who will I be if I don't either," Brandon, with muscles on the brain instead of smart ideas, replied to me, "I don't know, a smart one."
He didn't seem to like my answer, as he glared at me, "And why would it be a smart one? It's a hunt, we've participated in many in the Wolfswood, why would this one be any different?"
"Because in this one there is a reward beyond bringing meat to the homes, a sword with an unimaginable price tag is at the end of the kill of whatever the Xandarians have planned, and not to mention that we won't be the only ones to participate, there will be many spears, many arrows, and a single prey, a lot of competition for a single prize, and accidents happen, or in many cases, are provoked."
"And you think I don't know that?" Brandon didn't take my advice in a good way, he even got angry, "You are belittling my knowledge, little brother, I know there will be traitors among the ranks, but my sword will be sharp, and you know very well that I like to keep it sharp."
I could only sigh, making Brandon see reason after he made up his mind was a difficult, if not impossible task. "Just take care of yourself over there, okay?".
"Of course Mother," Brandon answered me sarcastically, which made my blood run hot.
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Three hours after we arrived at Crakehall, we were all gathered several yards from the forest surrounding the fortress, thousands of tents adorned the horizon, and it was only three hours before nightfall.
Of the five cages the Xandarians had brought, one was placed next to King Azrael and the queen, who their guards escorted, or as they were known in their culture, their Blood Riders.
King Aerys was also standing near them, with Prince Rhaegar and Queen Rhaella looking out over the crowd. "Hello!"
King Azrael began to speak, grabbing everyone's attention, which surprised me since he wasn't much older than my brother Brandon, but still, he was already king. "I know you are anxious for the hunt to begin, but let me and I will explain some important things."
"Since there are so many of you, only three hundred people will be allowed to participate in each hunt," and the discontent was not long in coming, some letting out curses, while others scoffed, or at least that lasted until the beast inside the cage roared, silencing everyone.
"That will allow everyone to have the same opportunities, he who wishes to participate must write his name in the register and he will be assigned the corresponding hunt, each hunt will last two days, and he who participates in one will no longer be able to do so in the next."
King Azrael then motioned to some servants standing near the cage, who obeyed the order and removed the dark cloth covering the cage.
"Oh shit, what's that?"
"For the seven of us!"
"Finally, know that every beast we release will be a killing machine, dangerous beasts that have always lived in their habitats, so the deaths that may occur, will be under the responsibility of the one who decides to go ahead."
The beast in the cage was something I had never seen before, it was over ten meters long, and that's not counting its huge tail, which was full of spines, besides that, it had six huge and strong legs, and if I hadn't been paying attention, I would have mistaken it for a Lizard-lion from the swamps of the Neck.
"Before you, I present the basilisks."
(Image)